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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy Host “Moonlight Yoga on the Riverfront” August 6

Detroit Riverfront Will be Aglow as Participants Wear Glow Jewelry and Use Lighted Batons

July 31, 2014

DETROIT —As part of its popular “Live the Riverfront” initiative introduced in May, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) and the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy are offering a unique twist on yoga classes by hosting a free moonlit version in which participants wear glowing jewelry and incorporate lighted glow sticks into traditional yoga poses. “Moonlight Yoga on the Riverfront” takes place along the beautiful Detroit riverfront at Rivard Plaza beginning at 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 6.

Local yoga instructor Michelle Moten of Detroit’s Urban Solace will lead participants through a series of traditional yoga poses, as well as new ones, utilizing special 16-inch lighted batons that will be provided to each registrant. Additionally, each participant receives glow necklaces and bracelets to wear during the session. The event is free, but space is limited to 50 registrants, so advance registration is encouraged. Visit www.detroitriverfront.org/livetheriverfront to register.

Children are encouraged to participate in Moonlight Yoga on the Riverfront, and various free activities, such as lawn games and chalk art, will be available before the 9 p.m. start of the class. Prior to and following the yoga session, water and healthy snacks will be provided to all participants.

“Our Live the Riverfront partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has been extremely popular since it launched in early May,” said Matt Cullen, chairman of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy Board of Directors. “We are excited about Moonlight Yoga on the Riverfront and are pleased to offer people yet another opportunity along our waterfront to spend time outside, become more active and get healthy.”

Moonlight Yoga on the Riverfront is part of a multi-year partnership initiative between Blue Cross and the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy called Live the Riverfront, which encourages a healthy and active lifestyle through a series of free activities along the riverfront. The Blues are pledging $1 million to the effort, which includes several components:

Walk the RiverWalk Wednesdays — From May 7 through August 20, the Blues encourage people to spend their lunch breaks or free time walking the riverfront. Pre-registered participants are eligible for BCBSM-branded health-related prizes and for Detroit RiverFront Conservancy prizes, including memberships, engraved waterfront paver bricks and tickets to the organization’s annual fundraising gala, Shimmer on the River.

Weekly fitness classes —Through the end of August, Blue Cross is offering free weekly yoga and T’ai Chi classes at Rivard Plaza. Urban Solace leads the yoga classes on Thursdays at 6 p.m. and on Fridays at 10 a.m. T’ai Chi classes are offered Mondays at 10 a.m. No registration is necessary for the classes.

Riverfront Run — The Riverfront Run was a new event for 2014 that was held on June 14 and drew almost 800 participants along a riverfront course.

“We’ve all witnessed the stunning transformation of the Detroit riverfront in the past few years,” said Tricia Keith, senior vice president, Corporate Secretary and Services, BCBSM. “Blue Cross and the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy are offering these free activities and programming to encourage the community to get outside and enjoy it, taking advantage of all the Detroit riverfront has to offer.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.4 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.

About The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 with the mission to develop public access to Detroit’s riverfront and serve as an anchor for economic development. As the permanent stewards of the RiverWalk and the Dequindre Cut, the Conservancy is responsible for raising the funds needed for construction, operation, maintenance, security and programming of the public spaces located along the riverfront. The Conservancy’s ultimate vision is to develop five-and-a-half miles of riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge on the west to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. The first phase of the project, three miles along the east riverfront, is now 80 percent complete and spans from Joe Louis Arena to Gabriel Richard Park. The first phase of the west riverfront project, a 20-acre parcel located on West Jefferson that features a wider RiverWalk and open green spaces, opens in July. Visit www.detroitriverfront.org for more information.